


Help me... save me...

by Autisticvampireclub



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Misao (Video Game)
Genre: A - Freeform, Blood and Gore, I'm... sorry the most recent ch is just, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Misao au, My First AO3 Post, There's corpses... not very explicit details, Uhhh... not sure what else to tag, also coarse language, and dismembered body parts, but still, cus im mad, dead bodies, guess now is the time to find out, has anyone in the bmc fandom even played Misao?, i guess, i'll add warnings as I go, it fit so well, just know it will get very dark, me letting my feelings out, mixing my obscure interest with my... slightly less obscure interest, the whole squip squad is here, this idea literally came to me as I was typing out my bio this morning, vent - Freeform, yeah - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-23 14:53:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 13
Words: 14,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11404737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Autisticvampireclub/pseuds/Autisticvampireclub
Summary: It's been three months since Michael Mell went missing. Mostly everyone has assumed he's long dead. Jeremy secretly hopes he isn't. He wanted to be friends.But when he starts to hear Michael's voice calling out to him, and strange things start happening in his school, he realizes he may have been roped into far more than he bargained for.





	1. FIND ME

**Author's Note:**

> Heya~ my first post here, wow! I'm excited!!~
> 
> And it's... an au mixing together my favourite musical and one of my favourite games. That probably no one knows anything about. Oh well.
> 
> An explanation for the archive warnings, this fic will get extremely dark, as you might have guessed. It will have some fluffy moments (mostly between the boyfs) but other than that... it's pretty brutal. If you HAVE played Misao... you know just how brutal. Eh heh... 
> 
> Also, the squip squad (sans Jeremy and Christine) are probably going to seem... meaner, in order to fit with the story better. Since most of the main characters are jerks, and that's what drives the games plot forward. So... sorry about that.
> 
> (I have honestly no idea how to tag this really. I'll... add more content warning tags as the fic progresses but... for now it's just rambling. Ehh...)

“HELP…”

“FIND ME…”

“Uhh… Michael? Is that you, Michael?”

“Michael!!”

Jeremy awoke with a start. He was sweating as he lay in his bed. He thought he had heard Michael calling out to him. Must have just been a dream. After all, it's been three months… 

He was surprised his alarm hadn't woken him up. Then he checked the time. 

“Gah, oh shit! It's so late! I'm gonna be late for school!” he jumped out of bed, and rushed to get dressed. As he was putting on his uniform, his mind drifted back to Michael.

Michael had never stood out to much in his class. He was kinda withdrawn, kept to himself. He was just a simple boy, really.

Jeremy hadn't been to close to him, but he always wondered about Michael, always by himself. He must have been lonely, without any friends that Jeremy knew of.

Jeremy hoped he could be his friend, but… that didn't happen. Three months ago, Michael went missing.

He wasn't coming to school, and he hadn't come home either. He had never seemed the type to flee home. He loved his dad’s very much, so it didn't seem like he was having a problem there. Everyone's parents were saying that he might have gotten involved in something. 

Jeremy smoothed out his uniform, frowning when he noticed a stain. Oh well. Too late to wash it out now.

His class had spread the rumour that Michael was long dead by now. He hoped they were wrong. He had wanted to be his friend. 

 

“FIND ME…”

 

Jeremy was slumped in his desk, only half listening to his teacher drone on about the school play or something like that. He stared blankly out the window, his dream from last night still tugging at his mind.

Mr. Reyes was popular with the students of Jeremy's School. He was generous, and… vaguely attractive, according to a few students. Jeremy thought it was weird, and sorta gross that anyone would find a teacher attractive. Don't get him wrong, he liked Mr. Reyes too but… thinking he was hot was… ewgh.

His best friend Christine thought Mr. Reyes was super cool. Mostly because he taught drama. Christine practically lived for the theatre, and took every moment as a chance to impress him. She listened intently in his classes, even if what he was saying wasn't drama related.

Her obsessive teachers pet routine got a little annoying sometimes. Christine was a sweet girl, but too much was too much. It did spare them from being called on in class though, since ninety percent of the time she answered every question Mr. Reyes asked. 

Jeremy still couldn't stop thinking about Michael. He was almost positive he had heard his voice in his dream. 

His deep thoughts were suddenly interrupted. “You've got guts to ignore my lecture, Mr. Heere.” He shrieked, and his head whipped around to see his teacher standing in front of his desk. “This information will be essential for the test. So you'd better listen!” Mr. Reyes scolded, his foot tapping against the floor.

“Y-yes, sir! I'm sorry!” Mr. Reyes rolled his eyes and resumed his place at the front of the class. Several of his classmates giggled. Jeremy blushed, and sunk into his chair. How humiliating.

 

During break period, Christine met Jeremy at his desk. 

“Did you see Jere? Mr. Reyes has a new suit! Like, whoa! Super suave, am I right?” She was brightly beginning her daily ramble about their drama teacher, which Jeremy predicted would go on for about… the entire period. 

“Chrissy, I love you, but you've been talking him up all morning! I know you look up to him, but seriously?” Jeremy sighed. “But he's sooo great Jeremy! He's so nice, and smart, and the BEST!” Christine waved her arms excitedly as she talked.

Jeremy just sighed again and leaned back in his chair. 

“Oh yeah! Almost forgot, gotta use some hand cream!” Christine fiddled around with her bag for a second, before pulling out a tiny bottle. Jeremy gave her a strange look. “What's with the lotion?”

“Didn't you hear? There’s a rumour that Mr. Reyes has a… a… thing… a thing about… uh, hands. He really… likes hands… uh…”

“He has a hand fetish?” 

Christine flushed red. “Uh, yeah. So maybe if I clean my hands constantly every day all the time, he'll, y'know, like me more…” Jeremy had only been joking really about the fetish thing, and really wished it had only been a joke. He didn't really want to know about his teacher's, uhh, personal fixations. 

“You seriously are willing to exploit something like that to get him to notice you?” Christine looked down at her feet awkwardly. “Not… really, but… what else could I do that I haven't tried?”

Jeremy felt a twinge of sympathy for her, but Christine was already back to her cheery self before he could say anything of comfort. “Speaking of which, did you take my advice on how to get you-know-who to notice you?” Jeremy could feel his cheeks warm up at the mention of the crush he had confided in Christine last week “although, I still can't see what you see in a seducer like Rich, Jeremy.”

“I-I just think he's k-kinda cool, t-that's all…” Jeremy stuttered. Christine hummed in thought “well there's nothing wrong with that I guess…”

Jeremy’s attention shifted to where Rich in question was sitting. He could overhear the conversation he was having with the rest of the popular kids of the class.

“There's been some spoooooky paranormal business going on at this school… I'm getting a little freaked…” 

“Paranormal, my ass!” Rich scoffed at Chloe, who was sitting backwards in her chair across from him. “I'm for real! IT’S for real! The other day, a kid in the other class got dragged away in the bathroom!” Chloe insisted. 

“There was also the glass in the third floor hallway being broken from inside…” Jake added. “Gotta be ghosts!” Chloe reaffirmed.

“Eeeek! That's like, way too scary for me!” Brooke squeaked as she clung to Chloe's arm in fright.

Rich just laughed. “Ghosts, huh? Dumbass! Those ain't exist!” He paused, and his expression seemed to darken. “Wait… whaddif… this's Michael’s curse…?”

Jeremy flinched, and nearly fell out of his chair. Everyone else who heard Rich seemed shocked too.

“Look, this is no time for jokes…” Jake was cut short before he could finish by Chloe. “But I mean, it's totally possible!” she said, leaning forward in interest “it's been three months since he vanished! Then this stuff just suddenly starts!”

Rich nodded, then smirked. “If those events’re “Michael’s curse”... then Chloe’ll be cursed sooner or later.” 

“H-hmm?! Whatever did I do?!”

“Chloe… you did bully Michael a lot…” Jake stated plainly. “Bullying?! Why, I never! I was just making a little fun!” she argued. “And Rich always screwed with Michael! You're the one who'll get cursed!

“Me? Hah, I'm fine! Michael looked up to me!” Rich said, brushing off her accusation.

“I wonder…” Jake had a far off look, but he quickly snapped back to reality. “Richhh, I'm scaaared… I mean, I'm your girlfriend… Michael might have a grudge…” Brooke whined. 

“Don’t sweat it, Brooke. I'll protect you!” Rich slung an arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer to him. “Awww! You're like, so nice, Rich!” she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Chloe turned away from the two, and Jeremy thought she almost looked a little… jealous. “Pah! Do what you like, lovebirds!”

“Michaeeel, please don't curse usss! The rest are fair gaaame, thooough!” Rich teased, throwing a mocking glance towards Chloe. “Oops, did I say that out loud? Gahahahah!”

Almost immediately after he spoke, a loud rumble came from outside. The room started to shake. Everyone started panicking, and a few people ducked under their desks, as instructed for during the event of an earthquake.

The room went dark, as if the sun shining through the window had burnt out. “Wh-wha?! It got dark right quick! What the heck’s goin’ on?!” Rich yelled.

“Maybe, just maybe… it really is Michael's curse?” Chloe said shakily “Michael's real mad at us!” 

“Sh-shaddup! What the hell! I was just kidding about that curse crap!” Rich snapped at her. He looked around wildly, panicking at the rumbling sounds still coming from outside.

Jeremy gasped as he felt a familiar feeling wash over him. The same feeling he got from his dream… 

Christine called out to him in concern, but he didn't hear. He stood up, and walked forward, as if something was pulling him somewhere.

“HELP…”

“Michael…?”

“Michael!!”

He could hear him. He could hear Michael speaking to him.

Chloe looked frightened as Jeremy called out his name. “Oh, now it's gotta be him!” 

If Chloe was frightened, then Rich looked petrified. “SH-SHUT IT! I don't hear his damn voice!” He ran over to where Jeremy was standing. “Jeremy! Y-you're talkin’ crazy talk!”

“I'm not I swear I… I… ah!!” He shrieked again as Michael’s voice ringed in his ears.

“FIND ME…”

“M… Mi… chael…”

Michael's voice screeched in Jeremy's head, repeating those same words, over and over… 

“HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP HELP”

“FIND ME FIND ME FIND ME FIND ME”

Jeremy screamed. Then he blacked out.


	2. The student council president

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey ya!~ this chapter is probably going to be shorter than the rest, since it's just finishing off the intro before getting into actual gameplay. 
> 
> I can guarantee since I basically have boat loads of time on my hands I can dedicate most of it to writing, so chapters should update pretty frequently. 
> 
> Anyways, on we go!...

Jeremy groaned. His head was pounding.

“Michael…”

“Ah, you've finally come to.”

Jeremy's eyes flew open at the sound of someone speaking to him. He couldn't see much of his surroundings, but he knew he wasn't in his classroom anymore. “W-where am I…?”

He got to his feet, his legs wobbling. He turned to see who had spoken. “And w-who are you…?”

The person standing behind a desk was tall, and was wearing a fancy suit and tie. They had a sophisticated, if not smug aura. They sorta reminded Jeremy of Keanu Reeves, that guy from the matrix movies.

“I am Squip, the student council president, and this,” they gestured around themselves “is the student council room.”

They eyed Jeremy closely, like they were studying his every move. It put him on edge. 

“Luckily for you, you've ended up somewhere safe” they told him, eyes never drifting away from him. “Whuhh… ended… up?”

Squip rolled their eyes, like it was all so obvious. “After the earthquake, the school was sucked into another world. This sent those inside flying all across the school.”

“W-wh-another world?! What's that supposed to mean? And why would that… happen…?” Jeremy was trying to wrap his brain around the situation but… just couldn't.

“Well. It’s a curse” they informed him matter-of-factly. “It is the result of a boy’s curse that this school was sealed in the other world.”

A curse? It couldn't be… Michael…?

“President Squip!”

A girl rushed into the room, panting, completely out of breath. She pushed past Jeremy, and almost ran into a desk.

“Whew, finally made it… I thought I was a goner!” she wheezed through shaky breaths of air. Her hair was braided, and she had purple, horn-rimmed glasses.

“So you finally return, Miss Library” Squip greeted her. Library? What an odd name, Jeremy thought.

Squip seemed to read his mind, as they addressed him soon after. “She is the school’s vice-president. Always in the library, so that's what we call her.” They turned back to her. “So then, Miss Library, how does it look?”

“It's messed up and gunked up and funked up! The foundation and everything is wrecked, and I haven't been able to find any exits!” Jeremy gulped. That… didn't sound good at all. Especially the no exits part.

“Plus, evil spirits are going and attacking people! I saw a student killed before my eyes!” she shuddered “I'll never be able to eat hamburgers again… oh, it was frightening…”

Squip nodded their head. “So I see. Thank you for your report. You may retire for now.”

She sighed with relief “yes, well, I'm going back to the library! Call me anytime you need me!” She rushed out even faster than she had rushed in. 

“Evil spirits…” Squip muttered “the curse must have summoned them.” Jeremy noted the slight worry in their tone. “The school is now a den of spirits… and there's nowhere to run.”

Jeremy was sweating now. He nervously took a step forward. “U-um…”

“There's only one solution… undoing the boy’s curse. There's surely no other way.”

“H-how am I supposed to undo a curse?” Jeremy asked anxiously. He shuffled as he felt Squip’s piercing gaze on him again.

“By saving the boy’s soul. Jeremy, you must know what it is you have to do.” Jeremy didn't know. At all.

“I… do?”

“FIND ME…” 

There was Michael's voice calling out to him again. It dawned on Jeremy that maybe he DID know… 

“Michael is calling me… so he wants to be found…” he concluded. Jeremy thought about Michael, all alone… even after death…

“Mr-er- Mx. Squip! I'll go look for Michael!” he stated, finally sure of what his task was.

“...so you will. As Library informs me, the school is full of evil spirits. And yet you wish to go?” they asked curiously. 

“I will. Because… Michael is my friend!” 

They regarded him one last time. “Hmmm… understood. You are entrusted with the fate of the school. I believe you can do it.”

Jeremy started wobbling again as what he had just agreed to sunk in. No turning back now he reminded himself.

“If you encounter any trouble, pay a visit to Library on the second floor. She will try her best to help. If you wish for my advice, I will always be here.”

Jeremy tottered towards the door, his legs still barely holding him up. He turned the knob, and headed out into the unknown.

“I pray for your safety.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I bet you can already tell who Library is... 
> 
> Ironically, while the squad kids are meaner in this fic the Squip is actually... less terrible? I mean they still are hiding some dark secrets, but interactions wise... hmm
> 
> (Also I'm so flattered at the positive feedback I got on the first chapter!!~ you all are great!~)


	3. His head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't kidding when I said updates would be frequent!!~ 
> 
> (I'm kinda a loser who has not much else to do with their time... BUT ITS OK BECAUSE BEING A LOSER IS COOL)

The atmosphere was coursing with dread. Chills ran up Jeremy's spine as he left the council room, and stepped into the eerie hallway. The hallway leading to the left was barricaded off. There was a door to the right of the room he had just left, and stairs that led down to lower floors. He decided to check out the right door first.

The door opened to reveal the principal's office. For some reason, a diary sat open on the principal’s desk. Jeremy took a peek at the page that was left open.

‘The emergency exit key fell out of the vase. Somebody pick it up!’ 

The vase? There was a vase that sat on the coffee table between the two lounge seats. Oddly, it was fixed to the table. Jeremy was about to inspect it, but thought better of it. The vase gave him a bad feeling… 

Making a mental note to check back, Jeremy headed back out into the hall. This time, he went down the stairs.

Wandering around the school gave Jeremy the creeps. Random blood stains splattered the walls and floors. It was deathly quiet. As he passed by a locker, he noticed it didn't have a lock. Not bothering much with privacy anymore, he opened it up. A baseball bat was inside. Good, now Jeremy had something to defend himself with. If the time ever came.

Hoisting the bat over his shoulder, he continued his trek through the school. As he passed by doors, he had the feeling someone was watching him, or that something was moving around inside the classrooms. He shivered and kept his eyes fixed in front of him.

Passing through another door at the end of the hall, three more lockers were lined up in the small connecting corridor. He peered into each one, and almost barfed when he saw what was inside the second. It was a body, hanging from the top of the locker, dripping blood onto the bottom. He gagged, and quickly moved on.

A loud sound came from behind him. It sounded like a chainsaw. Jeremy ducked into a locker, (the one without the body,) and shut it tight. He heard someone walk by his hiding spot. A low, menacing laugh echoed through the small space before the person left the corridor.

Jeremy cautiously exited the locker. He had broke into a cold sweat, and his heart was beating faster. Wanting to be as far away from the chainsaw-wielding man as possible, he sped into the next room.

He had taken two steps into the much larger room before a shrill cry sounded. “HEEELP!” It sounded like… Chloe… 

The room looked like a lab out of some science fiction B-movie. There were test chambers, and a control panel with many flashing buttons. A short flight of stairs led to a separate area. There he saw where the shout had come from.

“Jeremy! W-whew…! Help me…!” Chloe was strapped to some kind of operating table, and was desperately struggling against her bounds. Jeremy knew he should help her… but…

“W-well, I would like to help you, b-but, uh, you're always b-bullying people…” 

“Huh? What?! What about it?!” she seemed appalled that Jeremy was even hesitating. Jeremy took a deep breath, then said, “if you promise not to bully the weak anymore, t-then I'll be willing to help you.”

“A-alright, geez! Sure! I won't do it! Now help me out here! He's gonna come back if you don't hurry!” she was wiggling faster as time ticked on, frantically trying to escape. “Who?”

A familiar sinister laugh traveled through the room. “EEEEEEEEEEK!! HE’S HEEEEERE!!”

If the situation had been less serious, Jeremy would have made a joke like, ‘no he's not, I'm Heere’ but unfortunately, the situation was very, life-threateningly serious.

“NOOOOO! I don't wanna be a test subject!!” Chloe screeched. Jeremy had the same sentiment. He had to find somewhere to hide, otherwise he'd be done for. Where could he hide… think, think, think… 

An idea popped into his head. A disgusting idea. Another operating table was next to him, and it had the rotting corpse of a man strapped to it. The stomach of the man was torn open. Jeremy couldn't believe he was actually going to do this. If he wasn't close to vomiting before, he was now.

He crawled inside the open body. The smell was even more repulsive on the inside. Thankfully, it hid him from the assailant. Hopefully.

‘Please don't notice me…!’ his breathing had stopped nearly all together. He heard the sound of a machine revving up. He heard the man start up the chainsaw.

“Nooooo! Stop it, you!!” Chloe was screaming in terror.

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!”

Then, all the noise stopped. Jeremy slid out of the corpse. The man was gone. After holding his breath for so long, he released it all in a quivering gasp.

He inspected himself. Yuuuck… he was covered head to toe in blood and guts, and he smelled terrible. He'd have to find somewhere to wash up… 

He remembered Chloe. The operating table she had been strapped to was now caked in gorey remains. Oops. Totally forgot about saving her. He supposed he should feel bad… but strangely, he didn't. Afterall, he hadn't been spared of her relentless bullying during the school year. Go figure he wouldn't feel much sympathy for her.

 

Jeremy had found his way outside the school. Well, at least he thought he was outside the school… 

The door that normally led to the parking lot had instead led to a… graveyard, believe it or not. Despite the creepiness, Jeremy thought the area was kinda pretty. A building, which Jeremy deduced was some kind of shrine, sat mysteriously in the centre of the barren garden. Pools of clear water littered the grounds, and one of them had a well that led underground.

Jeremy creeped down the ladder that was positioned down the well, and looked around at the dark cavern they led to. There was writing on the wall, that simply read ‘boulders’ and had two arrows pointing left and right. Confused at what that could mean, he crept deeper into the cave.

The cave narrowed into a path, and boulders blocked the way. That might be what the writing had been referring to. He was glad he had brought the bat with him, although trying to break the stones with it could prove difficult.

Amazingly, he had no such difficulties. One hard swing was enough to crush the large rock. Huh. He was stronger than he realized. He destroyed the second boulder, and saw it had two crevices carved in next to it. That was definitely what the writing had been referring too. Likely. 

He reduced the third boulder to rubble, but his blood ran cold when he saw something coming towards him. He screamed, not bothering to check what it was. He ran back the way he had come, and inched into one of the crevices in the wall. The thing, (which he thought looked like a demonic, floating orb,) zipped right past him, and vanished at the end of the cavern. He regained his composure, and continued along the path.

Stairs made of rock led deeper into the cave. Turning a corner, a large spring of water flowed in front of him. Wading through it washed away the blood and grime that still clung to his body. The blood stained the water red, and suddenly, with a thud, an opening appeared in the far wall.

Jeremy walked through the hole, and came to a tiny space, where a wooden basket sat in the grassy centre. 

As he got closer, and peeped at what was inside, he felt vomit burn at the back of his throat again. The feeling subsided, however, when he saw just whose dismembered body part was deposited in the basket.

“Michael, I fooound you!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to update those tags... because things are getting gorey. 
> 
> Since Jeremy kinda needs to survive to the end of this fic, any way you could die in the game is sorta brushed off with "it gave him a bad feeling" even though let's be real, who can seriously play Misao without dying once? Plus dying a bunch of times adds to the experience... but oh well. I'll just have to subtlety hint at all the gruesome demises he could have met...


	4. His legs

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder where Jeremy is keeping all these body parts. He can't just be hauling them around can he? 
> 
> ...oh wait. I'm the author. I'm the one who's supposed to be answering those questions. Oh welllllllllllllllll.........

Jeremy stopped by the student council room to inform Squip of his progress. They seemed pleased, and encouraged him to keep going on his mission. He then went back into the principal's office and grabbed the emergency exit key, using his bat to break the vase that held it.

Feeling like he'd done everything he needed to do on that floor, he made his way down to the lower level, and then went up again to the second floor. Squip had said he could find Miss Library on this floor, so he decided that after he looked around, he would pay her a visit.

Twisting through the school, passing desolate classroom after desolate classroom, Jeremy stopped in his tracks as he spotted something peculiar out of the corner of his eyes. A trail of bloody footprints were leading straight ahead, into the next hallway.

He followed them through the door, flinching when he thought he heard something moving behind him.

As he headed into the next corridor after that, he instantly began shaking with fear. There was someone behind him. Someone was following him.

He was too scared to turn around. He kept walking. The person followed. They were singing. They were singing a haunting, soft, lullaby-like tune. It sounded like a song used to calm, but it only made every nerve in Jeremy's body feel on edge.

He never turned around as he made his way down the long hallway. The hallway ended at the emergency exit door. He reached a quivering hand into his pocket, and pulled out the key. He unlocked the door, and rushed outside.

The tension in the air lifted as he stepped into… the road? His environment had shifted from the eerie school hallways, to the houses and lawns of an empty street. He could see someone laying down in the middle of the intersection, and he ran to get a better look at them. 

“Jake!” He recognized the teenaged boy upon closer inspection. He was hurt, clutching his side as he bled out onto the road.

“Jeremy!” 

“You're hurt! A-are you alright?” useless question, after saying that it seemed obvious Jake was not alright, seeing as he was collapsed on the road in pain. “A monster got me… I tried to run, but it broke my leg” Jake managed to reply, his expression a pained grimace.

“IT HURTS… HELP…”

That voice. Michael was speaking again. To not just Jeremy this time. He was speaking to Jake as well.

“...Michael?!” Jake tried to sit up, but his arms gave away. “Michael is in pain… damn! If only I'd tried to save Michael sooner!”

What was Jake talking about? He and Michael had never been close… had they?

“...Michael and I were together since kindergarten. We played together all the time. In middle school, everyone teased me for being so close to him. They called me gay, and a homo. So… I tried to avoid Michael” he closed his eyes as he recalled the memories.

“When I learned Michael was being bullied, I didn't help him… and now…” he opened his eyes, and Jeremy could see him tearing up. “I'm sorry, Michael… sorry I couldn't help you… I'll be there soon…”

“I'm always beside you. So don't cause any more sadness. Okay, Michael…?” 

He was coughing and wheezing now, tears running down his cheeks. “Jake!”

The street went dark, like Jeremy’s classroom had when the curse first threw the school into the other world. A light appeared in front of Jake. 

“Michael… came… to meet me…” Jake, while still crying, was smiling now. “Now we'll always be together…”

“I love you… Michael…”

All the light (which did appear to take the form of Michael, Jeremy noticed) said to him was… 

“You're mistaken. I never liked you at all. Now die.” 

The light disappeared after the harsh words. The sun seemed to shine bright again, though it seemed unfitting for the dreary scene unfolding in front of him.

“Mi…!!!” 

Out of nowhere, a car suddenly barreled down the road towards Jake. It hit him at full force.

“MICHAELLLLL!!” 

Jeremy gaped at the horrible event that had just happened before his eyes. All that remained of Jake was a blood splatter on the asphalt. This was awful… why would Michael… 

He heard a loud boom coming from the direction the car had gone. He swiftly went to go see where it had crashed.

 

It sounded like the car had crashed somewhere near the bathrooms. Racing back to the first floor, he threw open the door to the boy's bathroom. 

What he was met with was horrific. 

Brooke was on the floor, trembling as a monster closed in on her. “YAAAHHH!! S-stay awaaay!” 

“B-Brooke!!” Rich was just standing there as his girlfriend was in peril. Jeremy wanted to slap him. “Rich!! HEEELP!!!” Brooke wailed as she squirmed in panic. 

“Well d-don't just stand there!! Do something!!” Jeremy yelled at him. “A-ahh… gh…” Rich stepped back. “WAAAAAUUUUUGH!!!” He turned tail, and bolted out of the bathroom.

“Rich!! What the hell!!” Brooke called after him “no… no…!” The monster was getting closer now. Jeremy needed to save her. He just had to find something to drive that thing away… 

His mind flashed back to playing an old retro video game he had rented from the corner store. Apocalypse of the Damned… yeah, that was the one. In one of the levels, you used a fire extinguisher as a weapon to stun and kill zombies, man, that level had taken Jeremy hours to beat… he was getting carried away. Anyways, point was, there should have been a fire extinguisher in the bathroom… bingo. Right there, beside the sink. It would be perfect. 

Brandishing it in front of him, he sprinted back to Brooke. Sadly, he was too late. 

“Brooke…!” He gripped the fire extinguisher tighter with anger. “Y-you… How dare you!! Take this, monster!!” He slammed his makeshift blunt down onto the monster's skull, releasing the contents inside as he did.

He was frozen in that position for a minute, panting as he saw the destruction caused. The tiled floor was covered in blood and white… foamy… stuff. Brooke's dead body laid still. 

Jeremy scanned the bathroom, and saw that the car had indeed crashed through the wall. He unfroze from his aggressive stance, and examined it. It seemed like an ordinary car, despite the fact it had appeared out of nowhere. Bit's of Jake were smeared on the headlights.

The car doors were unlocked. Cautiously, he opened one. Thankfully, there were no monsters or zombies waiting to ambush him inside. There was something much better.

It was another part of Michael.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Geez everyones dropping like flies am I right


	5. His hands

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another day, another chapter!!~ (and probably more chapters if I the same amount of nothing to do today...)

The library was a welcoming contrast against the horrors of the school. Books neatly filled the shelves, but what looked like gossip magazines were messily strewn all over the floor. A clear indication of Miss Library’s taste in literature.

Miss Library herself was pacing around the room, nose deep in a magazine. Jeremy cleared his throat. She looked up from what she was reading.

“Oh hey… it's you, the one from the student council room… um… ah… Jerry, right?” 

He winced slightly at her attempt “A-ah, no it's Jeremy actually… er, Miss…Library?” 

Her face lit up. “Oh, you remembered my name! I'm so glad!” she sighed wistfully “how many years has it been since I've talked to anyone?”

“Uhh… wha-huh…?” Had… she seriously not talked to another human being in like, forever? That… was kinda weird. Didn't she go to his school? Come to think of it, Jeremy had never really seen her attending before… 

“Jeremy! Please, be my friend!” Jeremy was taken aback by her sudden friendship proposal. “A-already?”

“Oh… you don't want to?” her face fell, and Jeremy felt guilty. “Oh no, that's not w-what I… uhh, sure! Of course I'll be your friend!” 

“R-really…? I-I'm so glad…! You're my first friend!” She exclaimed happily. First friend huh… that was kinda sad. Library seemed like a nice girl, it wasn't fair that she was all alone. Maybe she and Michael could have been friends… 

“‘Miss Library’ is kinda awkward, though. I want to know your real name.” 

“Well then, Jeremy, please! Give me an easier name! Yes, I want a marvellous name!” 

“What?!” She wanted him to… give her a name… 

“Oh, gosh… what's it gonna be…” she was excitedly bouncing in place, fiddling with her glasses as she waited in anticipation. 

“W-well, um…” he tried to think of a good name but… he was drawing a blank. His eyes caught on the gossip magazine she was still clutching. A few names were on the front cover. 

“U-uh how about… Jenna?” he supplied, the first name he saw sticking out from under her finger. “I-it's a wonderful name! Just like in my magazine! You must have read it too, haven't you?”

“Uh… sure, yeah, of course” he didn't have the heart to tell her that he had just seen it on the magazine she was holding.

“Friend… that sounds good” she hummed to herself. “W-well, I have to be going. Things to do and all” he said as he ambled back towards the door.

“Jeremy, if you ever run into trouble, please come visit me! I don't know how useful I can be, but I'll do what I can to help!”

“Okay, t-thanks! Thanks so much!” 

 

While he was on the second floor, he wanted to check in some of the classrooms. In the first one he checked, he almost jumped a foot when he heard banging coming from the other side of the room. It was coming from inside a locker.

Afraid, but trusting in his good luck so far, he creaked open the locker. Mr. Reyes popped out from within. “Teacher!!” 

Mr. Reyes was huffing and puffing. “Thank goodness… I'm beat… I passed out after that quake, and I woke up locked in a locker! Naturally, it's designed not to be opened from inside…” he spun around, examining his surroundings. “The school looks odd… I'm going to look around.”

He dashed out of the classroom, Jeremy calling after him “Teacher, it's dangerous here!” 

Mr. Reyes didn't come back. Jeremy worried if he was going to be okay, and a cruel voice at the back of his brain whispered ‘of course he won't! He's probably already dead!’

Jeremy silenced that voice, and hurried after him.

 

Following Mr. Reyes down to the first floor, Jeremy lost sight of his teacher. He groaned, and then tried to think of the most likely place Mr. Reyes would have gone. The staff room came to mind.

When he entered the staff room, someone was already in there. It was Christine.

“Christine! Thank goodness you're safe!” He tackle hugged her in relief. “Hey, Jere!” she giggled “you're just in time! Now’s the chance of a lifetime!” 

He gave her a puzzled look. “Since nobody's around, we're free to look in Mr. Reyes desk!” Jeremy’s expression turned to one of exasperation. 

“Oh, come on! This is seriously not the time! Look at what's happening to the school! People are literally DYING!” Christine ignored his objections.

“Look! Top drawer! Packed with love letters to Mr. Reyes! Who dared to send such an annoying thing to a busy teacher! Let's find out what they wrote!” She pulled out said letter, and began skimming through. “Christine! That doesn't really matter right now, so Let's get somewhere safe!”

“No way! I can see everything! I haven't even gotten to the bottom drawer! You can pass up this opportunity, but I sure as heck won't!” she stayed adamant as she frisked through their teachers belongings.

“Gah, fine! What do I care!” Jeremy did care, but he was fed up with arguing over such a ridiculous thing. He stormed out of the staff room, leaving Christine to her own devices.

He aimlessly wandered around for a bit. Eventually, his worry about Christine, and Mr. Reyes for that matter got to him, and he scrambled to go check on them. Hastening back to the where he had left Christine, he heard a loud shuffling coming from the infirmary, which was close to the staff room.

He switched course and made a dash for there instead.

The first thing he saw in the infirmary was a panic-stricken Christine laid out on the bed, Mr. Reyes leaning over her. “Christine! And Mr. Reyes!”

Christine was shivering. “A-ahh… h… help…!” She appeared to be injured. “Christine? What's wrong?”

“Calm down! The monsters are gone, Christine!” Mr. Reyes told her, as he put a hand on her shoulder. She flinched away at his touch.

“Teacher, what happened to Christine?”

“She's in a panic after being attacked by a monster” Mr. Reyes replied. “Christine, you were attacked?! I told you to escape somewhere safe! This is why you should have listened to me!” Jeremy cried out at her.

“Hold on. She should stay here and rest” Mr. Reyes said as he turned to face Jeremy. “But…”

“Don't worry. I'll be with her” he reassured him. “All right. I'm counting on you to look after Christine. I'll look around a bit more.” He went to leave.

“Wait a moment!” Mr. Reyes called as he turned around. “I think I have a tranquilizer on my desk in the staff room. Could you bring it to me? It may help her calm down a little.”

“U-uhhh, sure… I got it…” Jeremy was sorta perplexed as to why their teacher would own a tranquilizer, and better question why he would be keeping it at school, but he complied anyway. 

“Be careful. Don't you dare die out there. You're one of my best students.”

Jeremy blushed at the praise. “Sir… thank you very much.” 

He left the infirmary, and headed down the hall towards the staff room. Upon looking in Mr. Reyes desk, he was baffled to where the tranquilizer could be, as all he could find were more gross love letters. Maybe someone had taken it? He sighed as he went back to go tell Mr. Reyes the bad news.

The state the infirmary was in when he arrived however, clearly overshadowed his negative report. “Christine!!”

She was bleeding, and she was completely still. Jeremy dropped to his knees in front of her. “Christine! Wake up! CHRISTINE!”

Mr. Reyes was sitting against the wall for support, grasping his bleeding arm. “I’m sorry… I couldn't protect her…” he moaned “a monster appeared out of nowhere… I couldn't do a thing… dammit!”

He sniffled. “I failed… to protect my student…”

Jeremy was close to crying. One of his only friends in the whole school, in the whole world, and now she was dead. It shook him. He knew it wasn't Mr. Reyes fault though… so he tried to provide some words of comfort.

“...please, sir, don't be so hard on yourself. It's only these spirits to blame. We have to do something about them… plus, you're hurt too! We have to care for this…”

“I'll be fine… just do what needs to be done” he struggled with something tucked in behind him “right… take this…”

He took something dripping out from behind his back, and threw it on the floor with a wet splat. “I found these while looking around…” 

“These are…”

They were arms. Dismembered, human arms. Jeremy knew right away who they had belonged to.

“He visited me the day before he went missing. He had something to talk about… but I was so busy, I didn't have the time to listen to him. I know he was pained. I can't help but feel if I had heard him out, he never would have left us…” Mr. Reyes looked distraught as he told his story.

“I'm not fit to save him. You're the only one who can.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's 3 parts down, 3 to go~


	6. His brain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Being on my period sucks, but hey! Gives me an excuse to do nothing all day and just write!

Jeremy had almost forgotten about exploring the rest of the second floor. 

After the gruesome escapade downstairs, he knew more than ever that he had to keep looking for Michael. Or else the curse would devour the entire school. He couldn't let that happen.

In the room he had first found Mr. Reyes locked inside a locker, he found a key shining against the wooden floor. Mr. Reyes had probably dropped it. He picked it up, and stuck it somewhere safe in case he needed it later.

Realizing he had barely checked the third floor at all, Jeremy traveled there next. There was only one classroom on this floor. He went to go open the door on the left… but a skeleton beat him to it. It stood in the doorway, blocking the entrance.

“U-mm… could you uh, move, please?”

It just snickered mischievously at him. “Aghh… fine, I’ll just use the other door. You're not achieving anything from blocking me!” It slammed the door in his face. 

He rolled his eyes, and went in through the right entrance. He sauntered into the classroom, making his way through the maze of desks. In the far corner of the classroom, someone was standing facing the wall. It was Rich.

He was shuddering, and sweating enough to fill a whole bathtub. With sweat. Don't ask why this is the first thing that came to his mind. He didn't know either.

“Rich!”

“WAHH!!” he shouted in alarm. “Jeremy?! D-don't startle me like that, man!”

Jeremy stared at Rich. “You know… you always struck me as tough, but I guess you're really a coward…” Rich looked offended at Jeremy’s comment. “W-what's that?!”

Jeremy was lost in thought for a moment, thinking back to what happened in the boy's bathroom. How Rich had run away, even though Brooke was in danger. It made him angry. 

“Y'know… Brooke is dead right?” he asked. Rich looked mortified “s-she’s… what?! No… you're lying! She can't be…”

“Well she is.”

Rich was stunned. He was silent, before finally speaking up again.

“I-it ain’t my fault! I didn't do nothin’ wrong! It's all Michael!” the room seemed to drop in temperature when Rich said Michael’s name. Rich definitely took notice, as he was sweating even harder now. “Dammit! Michael's gonna kill me! Help me, Jeremy!”

“You help me, then. We'll save Michael together!” he proposed. “Huh? Don't be foolin’! It's Michael's fault all this happened! Why the hell you wanna save him?!”

“Would you rather stay here forever? Because I honestly don't care what happens to you. Laters!” 

Rich panicked at Jeremy's indifference to whether he lived or not. “Wait! Wait up! Okay! I'll do whatever! Just don't leave me alone!”

“Oh, all right… don't fall behind” Jeremy sighed. “Y-yeah! Okay, let's go!” 

He followed close behind Jeremy as they left the classroom. All of a sudden, he stopped in his tracks. “Urge…! Can't… move… grk…!” he collapsed on the floor. “Rich!”

Jeremy ran back to him. “Rich! Stay with me!” Rich was coughing up blood, and his eyes were glazed over. “Ack… oh… gff…”

Miraculously, Rich was still breathing. Jeremy needed to get him treated to, but in a school full of killer monsters, the chances of finding a safe place to let Rich rest was… pretty slim. 

A light bulb went off in Jeremy's head. He knew just the place.

 

Jeremy hurtled into the library, the weight of Rich slowing him down only slightly.

Jenna snapped her head up from the magazine she was reading as he came in. “What's up, Jeremy?” 

Jeremy slowed to a stop in front of her. “I need you to help Rich, please! He's my classmate!” he pleaded.

Together, they helped Rich into bed. The library was connected to a quaint little bedroom, that Jeremy assumed was Jenna’s. It was a cute room, with a table that had a vase full of white lilies atop it, and a plush bunny nestled against a bookcase. Rich was laid down on the cushy mattress, laying over the freshly clean sheets.

“Whew… this should be good” he thought aloud. “Jenna, Rich, stay here for a while. The spirits don't seem to come here.”

Jenna was distressed at the suggestion. “Wh-whaaa! I-I can't do that! Not with this mysterious man!” 

“H-he's just my classmate! Rich’s not that scary, I swear! So please!” he said, trying to calm her. “Ooh… well, if you say so, Jeremy…” 

Rich shifted in his sleep on the bed. Jenna jumped back in fright. “HWUAAH!” She quickly hid behind the table. “I-is this gonna be okay…?” he asked her. 

“O-oh, yeah, sorry… I was just startled…” she replied, embarrassed. She stepped out from behind the table, and anxiously inched closer to the bed. “Y’know… I think I know how to make him feel better…”

“Hmm?”

“I think Rich was possessed by some kind of spirit. It… sucked him dry… or something. He's pretty parched… but he should recover if moisturized…” she explained. “Moisturized? You mean, like, he needs a drink?” She nodded.

“Well… there is a vending machine that sells drinks on the first floor… but I don't have any money…” Jenna paused and thought. “Oh! I have an idea! Remember how that kid supposedly got dragged off in the bathroom?”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Apparently, that kid had been trying to invoke the spirit of Hanako in the girls bathroom. She brought coins with her, in order to convince Hanako not to hurt her, but that was all wrong! She needed to bring a perfect test, that's what… ah, never mind. Point is, the coins might still be in one of the toilets!”

“Hanako? But isn't that urban legend from Japan? I didn't think you could summon her in New Jersey…” Jeremy objected.

Jenna gave him a pointed look. “Jeremy. You can summon anything in New Jersey.”

“You got me there.”

Jeremy shifted his feet. “So, I just go in the girls bathroom, look in the toilets, find the money, get Rich a drink, and then tah-dah, he's all better?” 

“Yup. That's pretty much it” she confirmed. Alright then. That settled where Jeremy was off to. Next stop, the girls bathroom.

 

When Jeremy went into the bathroom, he swore he heard someone giggling at him.

He tried all the stall doors. All of them were locked. He shivered, knowing that meant he would have to try the solution Jenna gave him if the situation went this way. He'd have to summon Hanako.

First, he went to the very last stall, and knocked three times. The first stall door flew open on its own.

Second, he went in and flushed the first stalls toilet. He heard a loud bang. When he stepped out of the first stall, he saw that last stalls door had completely disappeared. A little girl floated out.

Jeremy felt a cold sweat drip down his back. The girl moved erratically, and Jeremy knew he'd have to avoid getting caught by her. Or else.

He tried to stick to one side of the wall. Hanako spotted him. She quickly jerked towards him, and he flew out of the way, dashing past her. Not looking back to see if she was chasing him, he raced into the last stall, and reached into the toilet. Like Jenna had said, a few coins floated in the water. Yes! It was just enough to buy a drink.

In excitement over his success, he completely forgot about the murderous spirit waiting outside the stall. He had barely made it a few steps before she rushed towards him. 

Jeremy was dead. He was totally dead. This was how he was gonna die. He had failed his mission. He was dead, completely and utterly… 

Death never came. Jeremy opened his eyes, unaware he had shut them. Hanako was suspended in midair, arms outstretched, in front of him. 

“Y-you smell awful!”

The she vanished. To be honest, her insult hurt him more than death probably would.

 

After buying a drink at the vending machine, Jeremy went back to see Rich.

He was still unconscious on the bed, Jeremy had to shake him awake. He seemed annoyed at the sudden disturbance, but chilled out when he saw what Jeremy had brought for him.

“You givin’ me this Pocari Sweat?”

“Yup. You need the fluids in you” Rich took it from him swiftly. “T-thanks…”

“Hey, Jeremy? You're like, into guys, right?” Rich abruptly asked. “U-uh, yeah, I-I'm b-bi…” he stuttered.

“Well y’know, you're a good boy… an’ pretty cute… you could be my boyfriend!” Rich said, winking at him. 

Jeremy’s heart nearly leaped out of his chest. Despite how upset he was about Rich abandoning Brooke, his crush on him hadn't slipped away. His cheeks went a rosy pink as Rich glugged down the Pocari Sweat. 

All of a sudden, Rich choked on his beverage. He spit out his mouthful of energy drink and gagged. “Hn? Eck! Blech! Pah! Hey, why's there this weird junk in my juice?!”

He pointed an accusatory finger towards Jeremy. “Did you do this, Jeremy?! You hate me that much!!”

“It wasn't me! Excuse you!” he stared at what Rich had spit out along with his drink “but what is this…? It looks like a key…”

“Ah, damn it all! Disgustin’! I'm going to sleep! Don't wake me!” Rich told him irritably. 

Jeremy huffed, and marched out of the library. Some gratitude he received.

He had grabbed the small key that had been in Rich’s drink, and he studied it intently. He sure had been picking up a lot of keys. That reminded him, he still had the key he had found in the locker. He examined that one as well, and noticed that there was a locker number on the tag attached to it. That must be the locker the key opened. If he recalled correctly, one of the lockers in the staff room had that number… 

He headed down there briskly. Finding the locker with the number on the tag, he unlocked it. Something slimy fell out, and landed near his feet. He backed away in disgust, but then grinned. What luck. It was a gooey, scooped out brain.

One more piece of Michael down, only two more to go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Jeremy. You can summon anything in New Jersey." Is probably my favourite line in this entire fic.
> 
> Also can we talk about freaKING HANAKO FOR A SEC BECAUSE OF ALL THE THINGS IN THIS GAME SHE IS THE SCARIEST THING. Like, because I'm kinda a wimp, I watched a play through of Misao before hand, and I thought I was prepared for anything that would startle me. BUT THEN... OH MAN. The play through was of an earlier version, and the character profiles were updated in 3.0. In the earlier version, Hanako wasn't that scary looking. She was kinda cute, if only a little creepy. IN 3.0 HOWEVER, HER CHARACTERS PROFILE WAS TERRIFYING. LIKE... IT SCARED ME SO MUCH I WAS SWEATING FOR LIKE A MINUTE. Mostly because I wasn't ready for it. So, yeah. Sorry for rambling, but that is one of the only things in Misao that scares me still.


	7. His heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm running out of synonyms for went. Jeremy needs to stop going places. Just stay in one place, damn it!
> 
> (Though, that wouldn't be very productive would it...)

If this hallway would like to end sometime soon, Jeremy would very much appreciate it.

He had been walking down the same hallway over and over, never reaching the end, and always coming back to where he started. Each time he went through the door that should have led out, he got the familiar sense of someone staring at him, and at this point of, instead of being scary, it was just obnoxious.

He gave up trying to get through, and went to go ask Jenna what she thought he should try. 

When he asked her, her only response was “salt. Ghosts hate salt.”

When he inquired where he would find salt, she just shrugged and went back to reading. Well, that was a good enough hint for now, he supposed. He thanked her, and decided to start searching from the first floor.

 

Not finding anything remotely salty in the staff room, infirmary, or the bathrooms, Jeremy investigated the science lab. Now that he didn't have to worry about any murderers with chainsaws coming after him, he could analyze the room better. The operating table in the basement area was still smeared with blood and guts, and Jeremy took note of a capsule crackling with energy. There was also something inside. Having no idea if it was dangerous or not, he didn't get very close.

Strolling back to where the other capsules were, Jeremy inspected the glass table in the middle of the room. A telephone was sitting on it, as was a book opened up to a page about… salt mandrakes? 

‘The roots produce salt, so salt can be harvested by rubbing them. They'll get mad if you try while they're awake, so try to do it when they're sleeping’ the page read. The picture next to the text depicted the alleged ‘salt mandrake.’ It matched the creature that had been inside the capsule.

Score! Now Jeremy could get salt. How convenient. 

Jeremy went back to the glowing capsule. He played with the buttons for a bit, before pressing the one that disabled the containment. The salt mandrake hopped out. Awww… it was kinda adorable. With it’s little legs and it's little leaf and… focus Jeremy. Operation harvest the salt is a go.

The book said to harvest the salt while it was asleep, or it'd get mad. Jeremy wasn't sure how he was gonna get it to fall asleep, without knocking it out. He didn't want to do that. That's mean. 

It was teetering behind him as he walked up the stairs, following close behind like a duckling. When he walked by the telephone however, without warning, it loudly rang. The noise startled the salt mandrake, and it passed out. Huh. There's that problem solved. Once again very convenient. 

He did as the book had instructed, rubbing the roots together. Once he thought he had enough salt, he stopped, checked to make sure the salt mandrake had just fainted, and was still alive, and then scurried back to the hallway.

 

The never ending hallway on the second floor (as he had dubbed it) hadn't changed from when he left. Arriving at the end of the corridor, he sprinkled the salt on the ground, and held his breath as he crossed through the door.

This time, instead of being back at the beginning, he was in a small classroom. It was the music room, as he could tell by the piano sitting untouched on the left side of the room. None of the desks had chairs, except for one, which was positioned to face the piano. Without thinking, he sat down.

The piano started playing. All by itself. The music was sad sounding, and very slow. It was boring. Jeremy was tempted to get up, but something told him he should wait till the end of the song. He had learned to trust his instincts, so he listened. 

After what seemed like forever had been drawn out, the song finished. “Thank you for listening…” a voice echoed from somewhere. “Uhh… you're welcome?”

A box appeared in front of the piano. Eagerly, Jeremy went to go open it. It was locked. He groaned, now he would have to go look for a key. Oh, wait! No he wouldn't, he still had the key that had been in Rich’s drink. He tried inserting it into the lock. A perfect fit. The box unlocked with a click, and he pulled out what was hidden inside. 

It was a disc, like one of those old ones you use to boot up a computer. The only place in the school he had been to that had any form of computer was the lab. Back to the lab he went.

 

Using the boot disc, Jeremy had managed to activate some kind of control panel. It flashed and whirred, and then it prompted him to input a password. Shit, Jeremy had no idea what the password was. The password was a number code, and each number seemed to correspond with a colour.

There had been a sheet taped on the wall when he came in, that ranked the ‘coolest peeps’ of classroom 2-a. Jeremy had never heard of any of the students listed, but what was interesting was that the students names followed a pattern. They all were names that were also colours. Jeremy urged his brain to remember which colour had been ranked which number. He tensely entered his guess on the number pad.

Miraculously, it worked. One of the capsules on the far side of the room disabled. A shadowy figure had been hiding behind it, and it panicked when it realized it had been exposed. It floated into the wall, and vanished.

Sliding behind the capsules, Jeremy was faced with another passcode activated panel. It worked the same way the previous one had, and it dinged when he entered the correct answer. See, Jeremy was smart. Probably.

The capsule nearest to him disabled, allowing him to take what was contained within. He grabbed the squishy object gently in his hands, not caring that blood was leaking from it, staining his uniform.

He gave a triumphant laugh. Only one more body part left to be found. He was almost there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boy has almost been found...


	8. His eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another short chapter, just getting the last piece before... the SACRIFICE...

Jeremy stared at Rich, who was still conked out on the bed. He was snoring loudly, and his pillow was wet with drool. He was a heavy sleeper, not even another earthquake could wake him up.

Jeremy wasn't watching him sleep in the creepy way or anything, no definitely not. He had gotten over his crush a while ago. Really. No, the real reason he was back in the library was to have some space to brainstorm where the last piece of Michael could be. 

Jenna had suggested the roof, which did sound plausible. Although, it couldn't be that easy. There had to be some clue, or puzzle involved. Some item he had to find… whatever that could be.

Jeremy leaned back against the bedside table, his arms brushing against the flower vase. The lilies were beautiful, arranged in a lovely display of reds, oranges, yellows, and-

White. The white lilies stood out to him the most. He picked a few out of the vase, and stored them away. He felt bad about taking them, but they were so pretty. 

They reminded him of when he attended his grandmother's funeral. He had been so young, but if there was one thing he remembered about the day, it would be the flowers. In particular, the white lilies his father had laid on his grandmother’s grave. His grandmother had been mourned by many. Jeremy knew someone who hadn't.

When all of this was over, Jeremy was going to bring Michael flowers. White lilies. 

 

‘...Adorn these places.’ That was what the note pinned to the bulletin had read. A diagram was drawn on the note, depicting what Jeremy presumed was a classroom layout. Seat eleven was labelled C, seat sixteen was labelled A, and seat twenty was labelled B. Those were the only labelled seats in the picture.

Jeremy was currently in classroom 2-A. He was pondering over the vague instructions given in the note, but had an idea as what to do. Spending hours puzzle solving would give you that kind of intuition.

He went up to seat sixteen. When he sat down, a tiny vase materialized out of thin air on the desk. It was empty. His mind clicked as he pulled out one of the white lilies he had taken from the library. Again, puzzle solvers intuition.

He did the same process in classrooms B and C. After putting the lily in the vase on seat eleven, a voice whispered at him from somewhere he couldn't see.

“I'm waiting on the rooftop…”

 

Narrowly escaping the grasp of another decaying zombie that had dropped from the ceiling of the connecting corridor, Jeremy stepped out onto the roof. 

His heart skipped a beat. Up ahead, he saw a woman standing on the railing that protected people from accidentally falling off the roof. She stared at him with hazy eyes, before plummeting backwards. Jeremy tried to steady his breathing. The woman had obviously been a spirit, not alive. She wasn't alive. She wasn't alive, she wasn't alive, she wasn't alive… 

After he calmed himself as best as he could, his vision refocused on a box not unlike the one from the piano room. It was unlocked, thank goodness. Jeremy couldn't handle anymore scavenger hunts, and so he hoped he was right about what was in the chest.

His assumption was correct.

They say the eyes are the window to the soul. As he cupped the blood soaked eyeballs in his hands, he knew in this case, they were even more than that. They were the last key to saving one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Buckle up folks, because the next few chapters are gonna be a feels trip.


	9. Thank you for finding me...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time has come... for MURDER.

‘SACRIFICE THE BODY OR THE CURSE WILL NEVER END’

Jeremy gulped as he set foot in the shrine. The altar was even darker on the inside, and he had to squint to see what he was doing. Alright. Sacrificing time.

The first thing he offered was the hands. He plopped them down on the wooden pedestal with a wet slap. He continued with the rest of the body parts. The feet. The soul. The memory. The face. The eyes.

After placing down every piece, he waited in silence. Nothing happened.

Why wasn't anything happening? He'd gathered all the parts of Michael, and he sacrificed them, just like he'd been told to. So… what gives?

 

“Huh? You offered all the parts? That's odd… why didn't that undo the curse?” Jenna said when Jeremy told her of his lack of success. “I know right? I mean, what the hell? I did everything I was told to do, and I did it quickly, if I may praise myself for a sec-”

He stopped when Jenna gave him a look. “Uhh… right, anyways, what do I do?” 

“Hmmm… maybe Mx. Squip knows something…” she suggested. Oh yeah. Jeremy had almost forgot about them. They DID say they he could always come to them for advice… 

 

“I see… so you sacrificed his body at the altar.”

“Yeah, that's what I told you” Jeremy replied, getting impatient after having to retell his story again to them. Squip was pacing the room, deep in thought.

“However, this alone doesn't seem to have undone the curse. We will need a live sacrifice” they said at last. Jeremy stuttered. “L-live sacrifice?!”

They scoffed. “Did you seriously not see the red tombstones in the abyss? The spirits of the ones whose names are there must be sacrificed to free his. There are four tombstones. So there must be four names. Three of them already have names engraved in them.” 

They paused to let Jeremy take all this in. “...There's just one left. Someone must be the last sacrifice…”

Immediately after they told him what had to be done, Jeremy put himself forward. “Then I'll… I'll be the sacrifice…!”

They gave him a hard stare. “Don't be ridiculous. That's impossible. Those tombstones are tools of his hatred… surely one who has not earned his resentment could not carve their name there. You set out to save him. He could not hate you.” 

Despite how much he disliked being belittled by Squip, they had a point. “Yeah… you're right…” 

“There are others still alive. Think well on who must be the sacrifice.”

“Someone who Michael hates… hmm… wait. Are you telling me I have to kill someone?!” Jeremy yelled as the realization hit him like a bus.

“Yes Jeremy. I'm telling you that you have to kill someone.”

 

Jeremy gripped his bat so tight he was sure he would snap it in his hands. In the pick between choosing either Rich, or Mr. Reyes to sacrifice, he had gone with the latter. It had been a hard decision, but a few points had overruled the debate in the end.

For one, Mr. Reyes was already injured. Sooner or later, he would probably be killed by a monster anyways. Might as well put him out of his misery. 

Secondly, Mr. Reyes himself had said Michael had something important to speak with him about, but he hadn't listened. That seemed like a good reason to hold a grudge against him. 

It may have been that Jeremy simply didn't want to have his classmates blood on his already (literally) bloody hands, but no matter now. He had made up his mind.

“...what is it? Is the curse still in effect?” Mr. Reyes asked as he approached. “Agh… the blood won't stop…”

“Sir… it's all right. You'll be relieved soon.”

He clenched his bat. Then in one hard swing, it was done.

 

He passed by the red, glowing tombstones as he dashed back to the altar. All four of them now had names carved into the stone.

The body parts were all radiating a strange light. Then, as Jeremy approached the lantern at the back of the shrine, they seemed to all fade into one light, and then into the shape of a boy.

“Michael…?”

It was definitely him, no doubt about it. He looked just like Jeremy had remembered him. Just… see through. All ghosty and stuff. He was smiling warmly at Jeremy.

“Thank you for finding me…”

His form began to grow faint. “Wait! Don't go, Michael!” He was gone. Oh well. At least his soul was at peace now. He had looked happy, and that was good enough for Jeremy.

He heard footsteps coming up behind him. Rich, who must have rested enough, came running in. “I heard from the glasses chick. You done everything? What happened?”

“Michael… he thanked me. I'm sure it's fine now…”

“So then the curse is gone! The school’ll go back to normal, right?!” Rich asked, relieved at the good news. 

The room got brighter. The sun streamed in through the windows, just like it normally did. The school must have been transported back to the real world. 

“Rich, let's go outside!”

With that, they headed out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now it's time for emotions...


	10. Painful memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally time... for tears. Buckets of tears. 
> 
> (Maybe not buckets but y'know...)

Jeremy was sitting in his desk. In his classroom. Which made no sense, seeing as he had just walked out of the altar, and didn't remember coming back to his classroom at all.

He gazed around the room in confusion. Had he been taken back here when the curse was lifted? Was everything back to normal? 

Nothing seemed out the ordinary. It was just a regular day in class… except for one thing. One person. Jeremy gasped.

“Michael!!”

He was just sitting back at his desk, like nothing had ever happened. Like he had never died. He was staring down at his phone, large headphones slipped over his ears. That must have been why he hadn't heard Jeremy, because he didn't look up when he shouted his name.

Jeremy tried waving a hand in front of his face. Nope, still no response. “Hey Michael! Can't you see me…?”

While he was still trying to get Michael's attention, Chloe had at some point come into the classroom. Weird, since she also was dead.

“Listen, everybody! I got big news! I think you’ll agree this one’s a riot!” she shouted, directing everyone’s attention towards her. “What now, Chloe?! Cut the crap and tell us!” Rich yelled back from where he standing beside the window.

“Weh-he-ell…! Soooooomebody in here likes Rich!”

Michael had been ignoring the rabble going on around him, but he stiffened at Chloe’s words, his head shooting straight up to pay attention to what she said next.

“Huh?! Are you confessin’ to me?!” 

“You WISH it was me!!” Chloe snapped back at Rich. She briskly made her way through the lines of desks, and Michael was sweating now as she came closer and closer to him. “It's none other than the simple boy who never stands out… Michaelll!”

The students around them started chittering amongst themselves. “Huh?! Really?! That's so gay! Homo!!”

Michael's face was flushed deep red. He looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him up, anything but be stuck where he was right now. “Ah… I…”

“Look, Rich is right over there! Confess your undying love!” Chloe taunted. 

Rich came over to Michael's desk. Then he said something that probably surprised the whole room. “A-alright! I'll date you, Michael!”

Chloe and Michael were both stunned. “I've kinda had a crush on you myself…” he admitted, to Michael's disbelieving expression. “Rich…”

“Huh?! Rich, are you for real?! Michael?! REALLY?!” Chloe demanded. “You shut your trap! It's none of your business who I'm datin’, Chloe!”

He turned back to Michael, offering his hand to be held. Michael took that offer. “Let's trade numbers!”

Michael still was having trouble believing what was actually happening, but he was smiling gleefully anyway. “O-okay…”

Jeremy remembered this. He had been in the classroom then too. This was some sort of memory, a recording of that day. A day that had been just before Michael went missing.

 

The memory shifted. He was still in the classroom, but he was alone with Michael. Or, technically, Michael was alone, as Jeremy wasn't really here. 

“Why did Chloe tell…?” Michael pondered aloud. “Well, no matter! After all, I'm Rich’s boyfriend now. I should thank her.”

His phone dinged. “Oh, Rich sent me a text!” he excitedly opened up his messages. 

‘I like you, Michael. Do you like me too?”

Michael blushed. “R-Rich…! What… he sounds so embarrassed… h-how should I reply…”

 

A bright flash, and the memory changed again. Now he was standing out in the hallway, while a group of students crowded around a bulletin board. They giggled when Michael walked by.

“Well, look who's here!” one of them called out. Michael was taken aback by their odd behaviour. “What…?” He peered at the bulletin board. “Huh…?” 

Then his face fell.

 

‘I love you too, Rich! I love you more than anyone in the world! I put my feelings for you into a song!’

“No… this is… this is all my…”

‘I love you, Rich, I love you lots. My heart melts like chocolate when you cross my thoughts…’

Then he ran off.

 

Another memory. They were standing outside the classroom.

“This is Chloe’s doing… she must've snuck a look at Rich’s phone. She's awful…” Michael mumbled to himself. “Chloe… you must like Rich too… you're just jealous. But it'll do you no good. Because Rich likes me.”

A high pitched squeal came from behind the classroom doors. “Nooo! Stop iiit!” 

Michael jumped at the sudden noise, and then peeked through through the tiny window on the door.

“C’mon, nobody's around…” Rich’s voice. Who was in there with him? “Geeeeez! Rich, you pervert!” the high pitched voice squeaked again.

Rich just laughed. “Aren't you the one who put Michael's text on the blackboard, Brooke?”

Michael's breath hitched.

“Whaaa? I dunno what you're saying!”

“Who else could've done it?! I only showed you, Brooke!”

“I didn't do aaanything!” she whined. “Playing dumb, huh?!” 

Brooke squealed again as Rich got a bit too handsy. They both laughed.

Jeremy watched Michael run off again in tears. Jake had watched him leave, but he didn't go after him.

 

Another flash. Jeremy was getting a bit woozy from all these flashes.

Now they were in the girls bathroom. Michael was backed up against a wall while two girls surrounded him. Chloe stood nearby. The first girl slugged him.

“Think you're hot stuff now that Rich likes you, huh?!” she jeered. She punched him again. Michael just solemnly stared at her.

“What’re you lookin’ at me like that for?”

He looked over at Chloe, who was giving him an icy glare. “Rich will never want you as his girlfriend after this, Chloe! And neither will Brooke! I know you like her too!”

“What?!” Chloe saw red and pushed one of the girls aside. “BITCH!” She beat him, fury coursing through her body. She hit him, over and over and over… 

Stop… please just stop…! He tried yelling out for help, for someone to stop this, but no one could hear him. All he could do was watch Michael take it. Watch him choke back the tears. 

“You've got some nerve, Michael!” The two girls that had been surrounding him before moved to block him from escaping. “W-what… ahhh!” Chloe knocked him to the ground, and grabbed him by the ankles. “Why don't we see how lovey-dovey you and Rich are?” she sneered.

“Wh…! What are you doing?! Let go…!!” Michael struggled against her grip as she dragged him across the bathroom floor. “STOP!!” 

Jeremy cried out in shock and horror as he watched them forcefully slip off Michael's uniform.

“Oh, my! Michael, so lewd! I should take a picture, it'll last longer! Smile, Michael! Say cheeeeese!”

 

Chloe threw Michael into one of the stalls. She loomed over him threateningly. “Michael, I bet you know what'll happen if you teeell… if you don't want that photo getting out, you better be a nice, obedient boy!” 

She turned to another male student who had come in the stall with her. “Now, give him lots of love!” she said to him, gesturing over at Michael.

She slammed the stall door behind her. 

Jeremy wanted to gag, as the sounds of the horrific and disgusting act taking place behind the door seemed to blare in his ears. 

 

Michael was sobbing. Tears poured down his face, as he sat alone in the bathroom. “Stop… no mooore…” 

He cried for a long time. When he was too exhausted to cry anymore, he pulled something out from the pocket of his uniform, that he had managed to get back on. It was a lighter. 

He pulled out something small as well. It looked like a joint. It was a joint. Jeremy had no idea Michael smoked weed. Well, now he knew. 

He lit the joint, and was about to take a hit, but then a voice called out. “Is somebody there?”

Michael frantically tossed the joint in the toilet. The one who had spoke walked into the bathroom. It was Mr. Reyes. 

“Don't hide. Come on out!”

Michael nervously came out of the stall. “What are you doing in here? Get back to your room. It's long past lights out!” 

“I… tea… cher…”

Mr. Reyes stern expression faltered. “What is it…?”

Michael broke down sobbing again. “WAAAAAHHH!!”

 

Flash. Scene shift.

They were in the staff room. Michael was sitting down at Mr. Reyes desk, while their teacher comforted him. “Have you calmed down?”

“...yes.”

Mr. Reyes smiled, and sat down next to him. “Did something happen to you? Please, tell me whatever's troubling you. We can discuss it all you like.”

Wait. That didn't add up. Mr. Reyes had said that he had been busy on the day that Michael needed to talk to him about something. Here he was though, undeniably talking to him. Why did Mr. Reyes lie about that…?

Michael was silent. “Is this something you can't tell me?”

“Teacher, I… I had my heart broken…” he said at last. Not exactly the truth. Not exactly a lie. “I was being silly… shutting myself in the bathroom and sobbing away over that…”

“It's not silly at all. I would lament the very same way all night whenever I was rejected as a youth” Mr. Reyes reassured him.

“You've experienced it too, Mr. Reyes?”

“Hm? You find it odd it would happen to me?” 

“W-well… um… it's just that you're so nice and… everyone likes you, really…” Michael told him.

Mr. Reyes chuckled. “Well, I was an irritating, unpopular brat in my student days.”

“I see… irritating and unpopular sounds a lot like me…” Michael sighed. Mr. Reyes got up and moved behind him, putting a hand on his back in comfort. “Absolutely not. You're a very charming boy.”

“T-teacher…”

“You're not like those other idiot boys. Serious, kind, and calm… I adore boys like you.” Mr. Reyes leaned closer to Michael… really close… 

Other than the fact that he was miffed his teacher just called him an idiot, Jeremy was getting a uncomfortable feeling. Mr. Reyes was getting… way too close for comfort. Michael realized it too.

“Teacher…?! Huh? Teacher…? Uh… let go, please…”

“Your hands are so beautiful…” 

“T-this isn't funny, teacher…” Michael tried to pry Mr. Reyes off him, but he was grasping onto him tightly. “You're beautiful… Michael… mmm…”

Michael shrieked. He pushed Mr. Reyes off him, launching him into the desk behind them. “NOOO!!” He backed away from Mr. Reyes in fright.

“Michael…?” 

Mr. Reyes frowned. “Why are you running away? Do you hate me? You just praised me as kind and lovable, didn't you?” Mr. Reyes inched towards him. “Now, come here…”

“N… no… stay away…”

“NOOOOOOOOOO!!!”

Jeremy was repulsed. He had trusted his teacher. Michael had trusted his teacher.

“Why… why do you reject me…? WHY?!?! Never do that to me! NEVER!!”

 

Mr. Reyes dragged an unconscious Michael back to the bathroom. He threw him back into the stall. He pulled something out of his coat. A sharp knife.

The only noise in the bathroom was the sound of Michael's body being chopped up.

“Now… you are mine.”

 

He was on the roof. Back in the real, non-memory world. The sky was blue, and sunshine gleamed down at the world.

“That… Mr. Reyes… killed Michael…” Jeremy was in shock. The horrors of the memories still clung to his brain. His stomach was twisted in a knot.

“I… I… didn't even know… those awful things that happened to Michael…” Rich said, remorse clear in his tone. “Michael… I'm sorry…”

Jeremy gazed back at him. He was looking down at his feet, and he almost looked like he was going to cry. “Rich…”

He went and stood next to him. “You did some unforgivable things, but it's not your fault Michael died. So don't be so hard on yourself.”

“Jeremy…”

“Look, the school is back to normal. The curse is lifted. Michael… I'm sure you're free of your suffering.”

He leaned over the railing, and looked down at the school ground. Everything really was back to normal at Middleborough high school. It was like nothing had ever happened.

He looked down one last time. Than he heaved. 

“AGHH! Gross, what the hell, man?!” Rich drew back in disgust as the last thing Jeremy had eaten came tumbling back up.

“S-sorry… been holding that in for a while…” 

 

Jeremy stood in front of the student council room. He had wanted to stop by and tell Squip thanks. He hoped he was in… 

He reached for the doorknob, but the door flew open before he could turn it. “Yah!!” 

“What are you standing around there for?” the person who had opened the door gave him an annoyed glare. “U-um! Is… Mx. Squip there?”

“Squip who?”

“U-um, you know… the student council president…” Jeremy awkwardly shuffled his feet. “What the hell are you saying? I'm the student council president.”

“Huh…?”

“There's no Squip in the student council…” they said, before pushing past him and marching off. 

 

Class was back to normal. Despite the fact that several students in the class were now dead, as was their murderous teacher, no one really seemed to… care.

It's as if the people who died in the other world had been erased from existence. Jeremy remembered them though, and he'd never forgot. What Chloe and Mr. Reyes did to Michael couldn't possibly be forgotten about… 

He wondered if Mx. Squip had died in the other world as well. Nah, probably not. 

He hadn't seen Squip or Jenna since the curse. He had no idea what happened to them. They sure were strange people… 

“You there! Face front and pay attention!”

He jumped when his new teacher broke him out of his deep state of thought. “I-I'm sorry!” 

Michael was still missing. There were no trace of the parts of him Jeremy had found. Maybe he'll never be found… but that's all right. Michael was smiling in the end. Jeremy was sure he was free of his pain. 

He was glad, Michael… 

He glanced over to where Rich was sitting. He was sleeping during class. Jeremy giggled to himself, deciding to just let Rich sleep instead of telling on him.

Suddenly, something appeared behind Rich. Jeremy’s heart started beating faster. The air in the classroom got colder. It was Michael, floating just inches away from Rich’s back-

And he looked MAD.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT IT WAS OVER. NOPE.
> 
> because Jeremy still needs to learn... the TRUTH.
> 
> So stay tuned...


	11. Sitting in a tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After the storm... comes the rainbow. 
> 
> (And then more storms)

Jeremy really wished he'd been more careful about taking his contacts out to wipe them. He also wished he hadn't taken them out outside.

Jeremy kept his head down, desperately trying to avoid eye contact with anyone. Where had he dropped it? The bright blue contact lense couldn't be that hard to spot against the grass. Apparently, it was.

Crawling on his hands and knees, he searched the ground. He needed to find it. Or else people would see. See how unnatural he was, see how freakish he was, see how… 

A leaf fell from the tree above him. Then another, and another. The whole tree was shaking, as if a pressure was on one of the branches. Jeremy looked up. He saw someone up in the tree. 

“Michael? What are you doing up there?! That's dangerous!” 

Michael glanced down at him, startled. “Jeremy…! U-um… er…” he stuttered. He looked over at something beside him. “This kitten doesn't want to come down…”

A cat was meowing on the branch beside him. It must have gotten stuck. “You want some help?” Jeremy asked.  
He didn't want Michael to get hurt from trying to grab the cat by himself. “Naw, it's okay… I'm almost there…”

Michael steadied himself, and then tried to move from his branch to the cats. He moved too quickly. “Got it! W-woah, yahh!” 

He got a hold of the cat, but slipped, bringing both of them down. “Watch it!!” Jeremy yelled to them, reaching out his arms in an attempt to catch them. His attempt went just about as well as he thought. Terrible.

“...owwwwww…” he moaned. Michael had landed on top of him, and was sitting on his chest. “Y-you okay?”

“Y-yeah… the kitty’s fine…” Michael replied. “That's good… and you're not hurt either?” Michael blinked at him. “O-oh, no…” he realized he was sitting on top of Jeremy, and scooted off in embarrassment. “S-sorry!”

His cheeks were turning pink. Jeremy noticed how plump and full his cheeks were. He was… cute. “Are you okay?” Jeremy nodded.

“This is nothing. I'm glad neither of you got hurt.” Michael was quiet as he pet the cat in his arms. “...t-thank you…” he smiled softly at Jeremy. 

Jeremy felt his heart pounding in his chest. Whoa. Michael had smiled. At him. Jeremy Heere. Possibly the biggest loser in the entire school. The one who barely had any friends, other than Christine.

The person who almost never smiled had just shown his rare, sweet smile to him. Jeremy was going to pass out. 

“Wait… why is one of your eyes…”

Jeremy’s giddy happiness came to a screeching halt. Oh no. Oh shit. He had forgotten. Forgotten about his missing contact. Forgotten about the only thing that kept his secret hidden from everyone else. Forgotten that now Michael could see his secret. He hadn't forgotten how everyone else who had ever seen before had reacted.

“...red?”

Red eyes. Horrible, awful red eyes. That's what the doctor had called them, what the store clerk had called them, what his grade four teacher had called them, what his babysitter had called them, and what his mother had called them. It was only the truth. They were evil. Ghastly. Disturbing. The contact lenses were the only thing that shielded the rest of the world from their repulsiveness.

Michael probably hated him now. It was only natural. With such disgusting eyes he wouldn't blame him for loathing him. Jeremy braced himself for the agony of his fear. 

“Hey, did you lose a contact lense?” 

Michael didn't sound afraid. Or disgusted. Jeremy must have been hearing things. Yet still, he replied. 

“U-uh… y-yeah… I d-did…”

Michael fiddled with something in his back pocket. Then he held out an open hand. Jeremy gasped. It was his contact lense.

“I know how much it sucks to lose one of these. When I found it, I kept it on me, just in case someone was looking for it.” He held it out for Jeremy to take. Jeremy didn't grab it at first, still stunned by Michael's calm reaction. Then he quickly darted his hand out.

“Y-you… don't hate me?” Michael looked confused. “N-noooooooo? Why would I hate you?”

“Because… my eyes… aren't you… disturbed?” 

“What?! Of course not! I think they look cool…” Michael insisted. “Are they really naturally like that?”

“Y-yes. They have been since birth. N-not many people who have seen them like me, so I-I thought… I'm s-sorry…” Michael reached out and clasped his hand. Jeremy’s face heated up. 

“Hey. I understand. Not many people like me either…” 

“Why? You're so kind, and cute and-” Jeremy stopped when what he had just said sunk in. His face was boiling now.

Michael just giggled. “A-ah… you really think so…?”

They were both silent for a moment. Then Michael broke the awkward tension. “I…should go take this cat back to its owner…”

Oh yeah. The cat. “You know whose it is?” Jeremy inquired. “Yes, it belongs to the local shopkeeper…”

“Oh, huh…”

“Right… so… um, bye…” Michael turned to leave, but Jeremy piped up. “Hey, can I go with you?” 

Michael blushed again. “I-I'll be fine on my own! See you!” Then he rushed off.

“Hey! Michael!” but he was already out of sight. Jeremy sighed. His heart was still fluttering after the encounter.

 

Michael never really got much attention… but he was really nice. Why did all those horrible things have to happen to a boy as nice as him…?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is like the second shippiest chapter in this fic, oh my gosh.


	12. I'm... really disappointed. (Sorry this isn't actually a chapter...)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to just... skip past this.

So... I'm looking up Misao on tumblr again.

And... for fucks sakes.

Apparently (I hadn't heard of this before writing this fic) the creator of Misao (Sen) held a poll a year or so ago where people voted on what couple in Misao they wanted him to draw... and... I'm pretty sure he drew several? But anyways...

One of the ships he apparently drew was Misao shipped with Mr. Sohta. Of course, right away, that is incredibly DISGUSTING. Mainly because Sohta RAPED HER, AND MURDERED HER. SO YEAH. GROSS. I haven't seen the picture, but he drew them all cute and happy and I'm like... no???? Don't?????

And I'm just... so upset???

I love this game but... I feel so guilty now. RPG horror games are my special interest, and Misao in particular is one of my favourites. But knowing the creator did something like this... I just...

It makes me want to cry. 

I'll still finish this fic. I won't leave anyone hanging, that wouldn't be fair.

But I'd just like to establish:

I love Misao. But I hate the creator. (Does that even make sense???? Probably not)

(I'm sorry this is even here. I... might delete it later. But... I think I should keep it here for now in case anyone asks. I'm... really sorry. I didn't know.)


	13. Liberation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that last update was just a vent eh hehhhh... I'm feeling better now though. It was a panic attack spur of the moment kind of thing, and I'm still hyped to write the rest of this fic!~

“JEREMY…”

Hmmm… 

Someone… was calling him… 

That voice… seemed familiar…

That was when Jeremy woke up. Not in his desk listening to a boring lecture on trigonometry or whatever like he had been last, but in the middle of a grassy field. He had nodded off in class… was he dreaming?

“JEREMY…”

The voice, he knew where he recognized it from.

“Squip?! Is that you, Squip? Mx. Squip!!”  
He ran forward into what looked like a road, lined with hedges. Behind the hedges, humanoid… things aimlessly paced back and forth.

The road didn't go on for long. He soon found himself in a dark space, standing in front of three glowing tombstones… and Mx. Squip.

“It's been a while, Jeremy.” They gave him that same old judging stare, but Jeremy had gotten used to it, so he didn't flinch. “Mx. Squip, why the heck did you call me here?”

“Well, you see…” they stepped to stand beside one of the tombstones “I thought I would offer liberation to the spirits that had to be sacrificed.”

“You mean like… Chloe and the rest? You can do that? But… why…?” 

“That boy, Michael, went a bit too far. Indeed, what they did is unforgivable… but his death was not their fault.” they told him. “They suffer just as much. I think it too cruel to allow that suffering to continue.”

‘Well I sure as hell don't’ Jeremy thought to himself. Mx. Squip, despite how efficient they were at reading what he was thinking, ignored him.

“As such, I have decided I will release their spirits.”

“If you do that, will everyone come back?” Jeremy asked, secretly hoping that the answer was no. “That's impossible, sadly.”

Jeremy cheered, and then coughed when Squip gave him a weird look. “But if their will to live is strong enough, they could possibly be born again…”

“Will you try to save them, Jeremy…? I leave the choice up to you” they finished. “Why me? Why not Rich? He's friends with everyone…”

“Why not indeed…?” Squip hummed. “No, I am confident you are the only one who can save them.”

They disappeared from their place next to the tombstone, and reappeared in front of him. “No others would be able.” Then they faded out of sight.

“Mx. Squip?!”

“I have high hopes for you” their voice echoed from the darkness. “W-wait! H-how do I…”

They were gone. Jeremy groaned. He had been hoping he was done with all this spirits and saving souls thing. However, he probably should have known better when he saw Michael in the classroom, still not having passed on and still looking pissed.

Jeremy went up to the first tombstone. He supposed he might as well do what Squip had requested, mostly because he had no idea how to get out of this ghost dimension. Great job giving him a choice there.

The name on the grave read ‘Jake’. He hesitated, and then touched it.

He was engulfed in a flash of light.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short segment before we get into all the soul... liberating... stuff...

**Author's Note:**

> ... and there you go! Sorry for the kinda sudden ending there eh heh... it will be better paced once it gets past the games intro. 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
